Gnome
Gruesome in appearance and short-tempered in their behaviour, Gnomes are a notoriously unsympathetic people. By and large, Gnomes are not well-liked by any race, including their own. Marriage is rare and their families are small. Offspring are often treated as chattel to be put to work, and love is rarely a factor when it comes to coupling. Children of such unions, should they prove to be useless, are abandoned to the wilderness to die. The only reason some Gnomes wed is to erase a debt upon themselves, either financial or social, forced to make amends by marrying themselves into families they’ve greatly offended. It’s not to say that some couples have not grown a certain bitter fondness for one another (for misery loves company), but mutual disgust rarely creates a productive relationship. Siblings are treated worse still, seen as bitter rivals or treacherous enemies. Gnomes are gifted, however, with a singular expertise in construction and tinkering, that forces the other, more sociable, races to accept them and their belligerence, price-gouging and utter lack of sympathy for any being but themselves. Physiology Ranging from 4 to 5 feet and typically appearing scrawny, the gnome's feeble appearance hides a dense musculature capable of surprising speed, although falling behind when it comes to endurance. Dark, waxy skin protects them from the fleas and parasites that are the bane of city life, and it's rumoured can turn to stone. They have an exceptionally sensitive sense of touch, often being able to feel around pitch-black caverns and notice approaching figures long before they reach the gnome. This is often used for scouting ankheg tunnels in the Tarrasque and the subterranean portions of Katean, as well as aiding opportunists in burglary. This sensitivity means that they cannot stand the imperfections in the creations of other races, which they will loudly and rudely announce at every opportunity. Their brains uniquely have a third hemisphere, giving them tall, bulbous heads. With the left brain responsible for the orderly and analytical thoughts, the right brain being responsible for creative thinking, intuition and arts and the Top brain used for 'Gnonem', the bizarre and alien thoughts that make gnomes so distinct from the other races. Psychology Heartless and aggressive, Gnomes are infamous for their foul personalities, and while the charitable believe that it is a matter of culture, Gnomes are simply predisposed to be awful people. Apathy As a general rule, gnomes don't feel emotions like compassion or love, being incapable of relating their own experiences to those of others. The closest thing they experience to friendship is a mutually beneficial relationship, whether that is a trading partner, members of a gang, or a useful child or dog. This psychopathic disregard for the wellbeing of others makes them surprisingly effective combatants, making up for what they lack in physical power in cunning and enthusiasm. That said, they do recognise the law, if only for the risk of punishment. Liars Gnomes are consumate liars, and while they are capable of seeing the benefit of a clear flow of information not tarred by deception, they do not consider this as soon as it is beneficial to them as an individual to lie. They will betray others often, and are incapable of understanding why others do not do the same. That said, it is rare for a gnome to lie for the sake of lying; you can always trust a gnome to do whatever is in their own immediate self-interest. Atheism As bizarre as atheism sounds in a world where individuals regularly channel the powers of Gods and Demons stalk the earth, there is no common Gnomish faith, and the majority are atheistic. They don't deny the existence of greater powers, but rather question their divinity. Gnomish diabolists exist, but are rare; they understand bargaining and will negotiate for power as a peer much more happily than blind service to a power that they would have to acknowledge is greater than themself. Gnonem Gnomes think in ways that are bizarre to other species, abstracted to the extreme and capable of impossible leaps of logic. Gnomish inventors are infamous for their insanity and genius, and they are prized Investigators, capable of telling huge amounts about somebody from seemingly irrelevant details. Impossible to relate to other species, Gnonem is responsible for vast leaps in secular sciences and magical theory, including the creation of Necromancy. Culture Warrens Far from civilisation, Gnomes gather in self-sufficient communities called "Warrens". Subterranean and with multiple small tunnels to the surface for air, they farm mushrooms and hunt small creatures, dig out new spaces and spend as little time with each other as possible. Urbanisation has been a blessing for Gnomes in that they don't need to live with other Gnomes. The centralisation of resources in cities and larger societies has allowed Gnomes to prosper, using their unique skills as talented craftsman and scholars rather than spending time farming and mining. Warrens are for the desperate, cities are for the rich. Art and Leisure Gnomes have little appreciation for art, but covet it because of it's financial value. Gnomish artists make pieces that while technically impressive, lack the je ne sais quoi ''that makes the greats. They see what is fashionable, and copy it admirably, but are not trendsetters. For leisure, they enjoy literature if they can read, admiring fine things such as velvet, furs and gemstones with their superb sense of touch, drinking alone and will frequent arenas and fighting pits for blood-sports despite their dislike of company. Magic While academia is helpful to learning magic, it is not necessary. The oft-brilliant gnomes are not typically better at ''casting spells than other races, they are often pushing at the boundary of magical theory, if only to give themselves an edge over their competition. The most famous (or infamous) Gnomish mage is Redstone Worm, the founder of Necromancy. Names The indifferent Gnomes make horrible parents, typically naming their child after what is nearby or what they are expected to do. They typically include a forename and surname but these are not familial, as a child is considered more personal property than an extension of a lineage. Examples include Kettle Smith, Shoe Bottle, Blood Midwife and Cat Carver. From exposure to other races, some Gnomes have adopted more noble names, but are mocked and deliberately called by their birth-name by their fellow Gnomes.